Alighting and launching stage for aeroplanes.



l. G. BURTON.

AL|GH1|NGAND LAuNcHlNc STAGE ma AERoPLANEs.

. APPLICATION FILED IUNE 4. 19H3.

1,291,668. Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

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IIIII'II w/r/vEssEs Q uwen/ron M' A UUR/vir IRWIN BURTON, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

ALGHTING AND LAUNCHING STAGE FOR AEROPLANES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

Application led J' une 4, 1918. Serial No. 238,180.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, IRWIN G. BURTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Alightin and Launching Stage for Aeroplanes, o which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved alighting and launching stage for use on aviation fields, housetops, decks ofmarine and arranged to insure a safe alighting of an aeroplane and to check the momentum thereof in a comparatively short space, and to allow of properly launching the aeroplane into the air. Another object is to provide a stage which is simple and durable in construction and not liable to get easily out of order.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate correspondin partsA in both views.

Figure l is a si e elevation of the alightingand launching stage; and

Fig. I2 is a plan view of the same.

The alighting and launching stage is in the form of an endless platform or a band passing around rollers 11 and 12 jour naled in suitable bearings arranged on the ends of a frame 13l mounted on the ground, on a housetop, on the deck of a vessel or other support. The upperrun of the end less platform 10 is supported on rollers 14 journaled on the frame 13 to rovide a firm support for the upper run ofP the platform to sustain the weight of an aeroplane adapted to alight on the left hand side of the platform 10 .with the direction of the flight of the aeroplane ranging lengthwise of the platform from the left to the right. The lower run of the endless platform 10 is supported on suitable rollers 15 journaled on the main frame 13 and serving to prevent undue sagging of the lower run of the platform 10.

A traveling motion is given to the platform 10 in either direction, and for this purpose use is made of 'a reversible motor 16,

vessels and the like' preferably of the electric type, and having its shaft 17 connected by a train of gear wheels 18 with the roller 11 to rotate the latter in either direction according to the position of the reversing switch 19 of the motor.

Normally the motor 16 is not running but when an aeroplane alights on of the platform 10 then the motor 16 is automatically started to run the in the direction of the arrow, that is, in the opposite direction in which the aeroplane is traveling at the time. .In order to start the motor 16, the circuit 20 thereof is provided with a closing switch 21 having;r a fixed member 22 and a member 23 pivoted on a bracket 24 attached to the frame 13. The movable switch member 23 is provided with an arm 25 extending into the path of the aeroplane so that when the latter alights it strikes the arm 25 thereby closing the switch 21 and starting the motor 16. It will be noticed that as the platform 10 travels in the reverse direction in which the aeroplane is moving at the time it is evident that the momentum of the aeroplane is gradually checked in a very short space owing to the impact of the landing` ear of the aeroplane on the upper run of 'e moving platform 10.

In order to radually bring the aeroplane to a standstill and likewise the platform 10, the speed of the motor 16 is gradually reduced as the aeroplane advances or travels forward on the platform 10. For this purpose use is made of resistance coils arranged in the electric circuit 20 and controlled by switches 32, 33 mounted on the frame 13 and similar to the switches 21, that is, havin arms 34, 35 projecting into the path of t e oncoming aeroplane. Normally the switches 32 and 33 are closed so that the resistance coils 30 are cut out, but when the areoplane strikes the arm 25 the switch 32 is opened and the resistance coil 30 is thrown in thus reducing the speed of the motor 16. The aeroplane in its further `forward movement engages the arm 35 whereby the switch 33 is opened and the other .resistance coil 3 0 is thrown in to further check the speed of the motor 16. In order to finally stop the motor use is made of a throw-- out switch similar to the switch 21 and provided with an'arm 4l extending into the path of the aeroplane near the forward end of the endless latform 10. Thus when the aeroplane reac es the forward end of tho platform l() the left side platform it engages the arm 41 whereby the normally closed switch-40 is opened and the motor 16 is stopped. The aeroplane is now at rest and safely supported on the platform 10. i

1Then it is desired to launch the aeroplane into the air, the aeroplaneI is first run to the rear end of the platform, and then the reversing switch 19 is thrown in to reverse the motor 16 with a view to drive the upper run of the platform l() in the inverse direction of the arrow. At the same time, the aviator in charge of the aeroplane starts the motor of the aerolpane which now ward by the platform and by its own propeller, and by the time the aeroplane reaches the forward end of the platform 10 it has obtained sufficient momentum to readily rise into the air.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by the arrangement described a safe alighting of an aeroplane is assured and its momentum is checked in a comparatively short space.

It will also be noticed that an aeroplane can be readily launched from the platform in the manner above described.

Having thus described my invention, I

' claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An alighting and launching stage for aeroplanes, comprising .an endless traveling platform, power driving means imparting a traveling motion to the said platform in either direction, and means adapted to be engaged by an aeroplane on alighting on the said platform to start the said power driving means to cause the platform to travel in the reverse direction. l

2. An alighting and launching stage for aeroplanes, comprising an endless traveling platform. power driving means imparting a traveling motion tothe said platform in either direction, means adapted to be engaged by an aeroplane on alighting on the said platform to start the said power driving means'to cause the platform to travel in the reverse direction in`which the aeroplane is alighting, and means controlled by the aeroplane traveling on the platform to gradually reduce the speed of the said driving means.

3. .\n alighting and launching stage for aeroplanes comprising an endless traveling platform. power driving means imparting a traveling motion to the said platform in either direction, means adapted to be engaged b'v an aeroplane on alighting on the said platform to start the said power driving means to cause the platform to travel in the reverse direction in which the aeroplane is alightinr` means controlled b v the aeroplane traveling on the platform to gradis propelled formenace ually reduce the speed of the said driving means, and means controlled by the aeroplane to stop the said driving means at the time the aeroplane reaches the end of the platform and comes to a standstill.

4:. An alighting and launchingstage for aeroplanes comprising an endless traveling platform, an electric reversible motor connected with the said platform to cause the latter to travel in either direction, manually controlled means for running the motor in one. direction, and a starting switch for the said motor to start the latter to run in a reverse direction, the saidfstarting switch having an actuating member projecting into the path of the aeroplane alighting on the said platform.

6. An alighting and launching stage for aeroplanes comprising an endless traveling platform, an electric reversible motor connected with the said platform to cause the latter to travel in either direction, manually controlled means for running the motor in one direction, a starting switch for the said motor to start the latter to run in a reverse direction, the said starting' switch having an actuating member projecting into the path of the aeroplane alighting on the said platform, and successive resistance coils in the circuit of the said electric motor and provided with switches having actuating members extending successively into the path of the aeroplane as the latter travels forward on the said platform.

7. An alighting and launching stage for aeroplanes comprising an endless traveling platform` an electric reversible motor connected with the said platform to cause the latter to travel in either direction, manually controlled means for running the motor in one direction, a starting switch for the said motor to start the latter to run in a reverse direction. the said starting switch having an actuating member projecting into the ath of the aeroplane alighting on the said plat-form, and a stopping switch for the sald electric motor and having an actuating member at the forward end of the platform and extending into the path of the aeroplane to be actuated by the aeroplane to close the switch at the time the aeroplane reaches the forward end of the platform.

fR-WIN G. BURTON. 

